The Languages of Mongolic Mongolia Aidan Blalock “Altaic” grouping Syntax: • SOV • Flexible lexical categories Morphology: • Lots of case markers (5+) • Agglutinative Phonology: • Prefers CV alternation • Vowel harmony Altaic Sprachbund https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaic_languages https://altaiskis.com/about-us/skiers-of-the-altai/#lightbox/1/ Spread of the Middle Mongol as Koiné Mongol Empire • Mongol Empire, 13th & 14th Centuries A.D (Genghis Khan) • Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368 A.D (Kublai Khan ) • Northern Yuan Dynasty, 1368, 1635 (Toghon Temür [Huizong]) Classical Mongol • Mongol languages in between Proto-Mongolic and Modern Mongolic languages Outer vs Inner Mongolia • Chinese revolution 1911 • Outer = Independent from China • Inner = Autonomous region of China Modern Languages - Khalkha (Standard) - Central Outer Mongolia - Written Mongol - Cyrillic Khalkha - Khorchin (also standard) - Eastern Inner Mongolia & Manchuria - Ordos - South Inner Mongolia - Khamnigan - Northeast, Russia, China, Mongolia - Buryat - North, China, Outer & Inner Mongolia - Russian influence - Oirat - West Outer & Inner Mongolia Literary standards & Scripts Standards are preserves in written, not oral, forms of the language Written/Traditional Mongol Cyrillic Khalkha • “Old Script”, Evolved from • “New Script”, Replaced Written creation in 13th century Mongol as standard in 1940s • Used in Outer Mongolia for Both are • Uses Cyrillic alphabet decorative or academic artificial purposes standards • Based on Northern sub-dialects of based on • Retains many features of multiple Khalkha “ancient” Middle Mongol, dialectical • Used in Inner Mongolia to especially phonetic features information, but is not too communicate with Outer Mongolia different linguistically Scripts • Middle & Classical • Borrowed Uighur script (Vertical ”Traditional script”) • Chinese characters • Arabic • Modern • Vertical / Horizontal Traditional script (Written Mongol - Inner Mongolia) • Latin (1930s & Online) • Cyrillic (Cyrillic Khalkha - Outer Mongolia) Interesting Update Announced March 2020, completion by 2025 • Re-establish official use of the traditional script • Enhance ability of online users to communicate with the traditional script • Increase time for study in Mongolian school system • Use in cultural centers References • Mongolian. By Juha A. Janhunen.(London Oriental and African language library 19.)Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2012 • Hock, H & Joseph, B. (2019).Language History, Language Change & Language Relationship: An Introduction to Historical and Comparative Linguistics. 3rd Edition. New York: Mouton de Gruyter. • Roy Andrew Miller (1996): Languages and History: Japanese, Korean and Altaic. Oslo: Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture. • https://www.thoughtco.com/chinas-autonomous-regions-1434425 • https://www.britannica.com/place/Mongolia/Independence-and-revolution • http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2020-03/18/content_75830865.htm • https://www.britannica.com/topic/Altaic-languages • https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mongolia-abandons-soviet-past-by-restoring-alphabet-rsvcgqmxd • Wikipedia for general historical events and information Images • https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Mongol-Empire/353483 • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_dynasty • https://altaiskis.com/about-us/skiers-of-the-altai/#lightbox/1/ • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaic_languages • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolian_writing_systems.